


in still waters we lay our heads (in your hand i lay my heart)

by Lyasa



Category: Original Work, Sacred Texts - Tumblr
Genre: Fantasy, I literally have no idea how to tag this, M/M, Uh..., second-weirdest thing i've ever written?, yeah that's it I think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:41:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26123668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyasa/pseuds/Lyasa
Summary: A newly crowned king, his oldest friend, a lake, the moon, and the stars. That is all.I'm sure I'm not the only who wondered what exactly Ipel vowed to Lai in Still Waters. Well, enjoy this tale of dubious canonicity!
Relationships: Lai/Ipel
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	in still waters we lay our heads (in your hand i lay my heart)

The full moon shone high up in the sky, casting its silver light upon the lake. Nothing made a sound, save for the willows by the waterside when an errant breeze rustled their leaves, and their long branches sent ripples cascading on the still, mirror-like surface the city was named for.

"Is this place always so beautiful?" asked Ipel softly.

"Yes, your highness," came the bland answer, and he couldn't stop the way his face twisted into a grimace at the address.

He had received a cooler welcome than hoped for when he rode into the city of Naike-Afon. He couldn't fault his friend for it, not after all he'd been through, but it has been a week and his icy demeanor showed no signs of softening. Ipel chanced a look out of the corner of his eye and saw his friend standing straight as a pole, expression unreadable.

"Lai," he started. "I'm sorry. If that even means anything. But don't- Don't do this to me. Please."

There was silence for a long time, with nothing but the sound of wind to fill it.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," said Lai finally. "It's me who should apologize, really. I've been cruel."

"No more than I deserved. I put you in danger. I've _been_ putting you in danger every day since I've known you, with every breath I ever took. I have _everything_ to be sorry for."

"I signed up for that."

"No, you didn't!" said Ipel hotly. "It was your father who signed up for it. You were just a child and I put you all in harm's way! Tiuli _died_ because of me!"

At that Lai finally turned towards him. His mask of pleasant blandness was gone and a fire so intense blazed in his eyes, Ipel felt the need to shield himself from the flame lest he be burned.

"If you ever, for a second think I was an unwitting participant in this, that I sheltered you only for my father's memory, you don't know me half as well as you want to believe," he said, voice low. "I signed up for this the moment he came home with a strange boy hiding behind his legs and told us not to ask questions. Maybe I was just a child, but you were even younger, and from the first moment I looked at you, I would have given my life for yours without a thought." He stopped, closed his eyes. "And not just mine."

"So you see," he continued, "that is why I have been so cruel to you. Even when I believed you truly have betrayed me for Lus, I still would have died for you. I still would have killed for you. It's not right, that someone would have so much power over me, even one as deserving of it as you. There is nothing you could ask of me that I would not give, but I am a man with nothing to his name. I have my loyalty and my friendship and those are both yours, unasked for and freely given. You could have everything I am, were you to ask."

Ipel could do nothing but stare, tongue-tied. Lai's words were like flame, and the same feeling seized him as during the siege, when he'd seen Lai in that cursed cloak of black and red, holding the sword that had finally slain the Lord of Annes. Drina, who was fighting by his side, had sworn violently and said only _"Commander."_ She would have dropped to her knees right there, if Ipel hadn't caught her by the shoulder.

She had told him of the god of her people who wore three faces; the Windbringer, the Commander, and the Peacemaker. They said the Commander had raven-dark hair and a fire in his eyes, that his voice rang clear on the battlefields and where he appeared, victory would follow. And for a moment, Lai did look like that; a force of nature older than the mountains and the rivers, ferocious and unafraid, and victory did follow swift on his heels. When Ipel looked into his face, flushed from the exertion, it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

He felt the same thing now as he looked at Lai. Even though he was the one who wore the three river-sapphires on his crown, useless as it was for a king with barely an acre to call his own, it was Lai who looked like a king, fierce in the pale moonlight.

"Don't devalue your friendship so," he said finally. "It's the greatest gift I've ever been given."

"And that is why I give it freely." But Lai was drawing back into himself, into that state that masked all rage and hurt and grief. He turned to walk away and before Ipel could think it through, he reached out with a hand to stop him.

"Wait!" he said desperately. "You should know- You should know you have my loyalty also, until the end of the world and beyond."

"I know," Lai said softly.

Ipel shook his head. "No, I don't think you do. Not truly." Some scars reached deeper than reason, and Lai had always refused to think of himself as hurting. "Lai, son of Nuya..." Lai cocked his head to listen, an eyebrow raised. "To you I swear my allegiance, until the world stops turning and the sun falls from the sky. To you I bind my spirit, and that tie none shall cut, not by blade, not by word, and not by action, the Three Rivers be my witness."

"Ipel..."

"Elal and Tiyal be my witness," Ipel said, louder. "Elal, see that we have shared sorrow and joy, life and death by each other's side. Elal, shine your light on our past and see that it is true. Tiyal, see that I will follow him wherever his path shall lead, and that I will do all in my power to protect him. Tiyal, shine your light on our future and see that it is fated."

"You can't- Ipel, you-" For the first time in his life it seemed Lai was at loss for words. "You can't promise me all that. You are the king, and your people will need you."

"And are you not one of them? Where would I be without you? You've given up everything for me, and neither actions nor words will ever be enough to repay it." Ipel would never be able to forget the look on Lai's face at Mount Imalen, when in the middle of the night he freed Ipel from his bonds and told him to run. He had met his fate with head held high and Ipel could do nothing to help him. But that was in the past, and here Lai was now, and Ipel would be damned if he let him slip out of his hands again.

"I..." said Lai shakily. "I..." And he reached a hand up to wipe a tear from his eye. "I'm sorry," he said miserably, and then he started crying in earnest.

"I think we've had quite enough of apologies tonight," said Ipel. He reached a hand to comfort him, and was surprised when Lai grasped it like a drowning man grabs for the promise of safety, and tugged him closer. "All is forgiven," Ipel whispered into his ear. "For you and me. Let's just try again, alright?" And he closed his eyes, content to just bask in the warmth and safety.

After an interminable amount of time, Lai leaned away. He sniffled and wiped a tear off his cheek. "I know something you could do to help me," he said, voice raw.

"Anything, for you" Ipel vowed.

"Help me find my sisters." And for the unfamiliar eye, he looked as collected and cold as he ever has, but Ipel caught the quirk of a smile in the corner of his mouth, honest and entirely free.

He smiled back.

**Author's Note:**

> If you didn't come here from Tumblr, but somehow stumbled upon this and want to know more, I have bad news and good news.  
> The bad news is: this fandom doesn't exist. The source material doesn't exist. Sorry about that. It's something I made up for a fake discourse post, because it sounded like fun. My blog is dramatic-dolphin, go scroll through my #nonexistent discourse tag for more!  
> The good news is: you're welcome to join in!
> 
> (And if you're here from Tumblr; thank you for participating, I love you all and I am BLOWN AWAY <3)


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